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Getting the best out of your roses depends on choosing the right varieties, and planting them in the appropriate location. You cannot expect the rose bushes to perform well, if you've planted them in the shade, or the soil has not been properly prepared prior to planting. Nonetheless, a great deal depends on the horticultural practices you adopt season by season. However, successfully growing roses in a dry, Mediterranean climate is not as difficult as you might think if you carry out a few basic tasks properly.
Watering
Most of the cultivated varieties require regular watering in the summer. This does not mean though, that the bushes should be swimming in water. On the contrary, permanently saturated soil will cause the roses to wither as quickly as a lack of moisture. So ideally, watering should be spaced to allow the top soil to dry out to some degree.
Drip irrigation is undoubtedly preferable to using overhead sprinklers as the latter encourage fungal infections, while wasting more water as well. Roses in Mediterranean climates with the exception of some natural species, require water based on some 5-6 liters per square meter a day. This thirsty consumption rate, means that the number of rose bushes has to be restricted in favor of more water conserving shrubs and bushes. Replenish the organic mulch layer when necessary, to keep the topsoil cool, and further preserve water.
Feeding
Roses are hungry feeders in intensely cultivated conditions and need a ready supply of nutrient in order to grow well and flower profusely. It is not essential however to use immediately soluble, chemical fertilizer. In my opinion, it is better to create superior soil conditions by regularly adding compost or worm castings, than "juicing up" the plants with chemical fertilizer. When planting in poor soil, it may be necessary though to add some slow release fertilizer to the planting hole.
Pruning
In the mild winter climates typical of the Mediterranean and similar climates, there is no need to prune the roses almost down to the ground, as is the custom in cold winter areas. It is simply a waste of the plant's energy. Instead, you can take off a third to a half from the height of the plants. Old stems should occasionally be removed to make way for juvenile ones.
In mild winter regions, the roses should not be pruned at the beginning of the winter, but towards the end, shortly before the plants emerge from their dormancy. This is to avoid encouraging premature growth during the occasional warm spells in the winter, only for that growth to be damaged by late frosts. Such an occurrence, is the perfect breeding ground for rot to develop in the wood of the plants, as a result of bacterial or fungal infection.
Jonathan Ya'akobi has been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. He is the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrates on building gardens for private home owners. He also teaches horticulture to students on training courses. Jonathan's mission is to help you get the very best from your garden, so you're welcome to visit him on http://www.dryclimategardening.com or to contact him at jonathan@dryclimategardening.com
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